Summary: Tao needs a tool and goes looking.

Imposter

By Dark Ice Dragon

Part 24

Tao squinted at the panels before sighing. The adjustment he wanted wasn't needed, but everything would just be easier if he could add it. And for that, he needed the proper tools.

He'd looked in the database, but it hadn't been updated in forever, urgh. There was a chance someone had brought what he needed to the base though.

Very slim chance, but there was one.

Tao swept one last look over the monitors (Muzaka hadn't left the boiler room and Em was leaning against the wall in the office as he waited for a data transfer to finish) and left for storage.

[-]

Tao sighed, looking around.

Nothing.

He was pretty sure he'd looked in every single box and every possible hidey hole there was and nada.

The room was reasonably well-ordered at least and Tao had sorted out the rest of the boxes while trying to find what he needed.

"Okaaay..." he murmured. Now what?

He ran his fingertips along the shelves as he thought.

He could live without it but...

Tao paused, seeing where his hand had stopped. It was an empty box, which wasn't that strange. He'd dived right into it when he'd seen it, because it was labelled with screwdrivers. There were a couple in there, but none were the one he needed of course, but...

There was a small checklist to the side, and the R-9 screwdriver was on the list. It had existed here at some point.

But now what?

It had existed - that didn't mean it existed now.

But maybe someone else was using it...?

Who though? Most of the base didn't need it except for...

The boiler room? That had one of the most hands-on repairing to it.

Tao glanced in the direction of the boiler room.

Uhm.

Go talk alone to an imposter, in the room he was most familiar with?

Nah. Not happening.

But he wanted to make Security run as smoothly as possible.

...So long as he talked with Muzaka somewhere public, it should be okay...?

[-]

"Morning!" Tao said the next day, seeing Muzaka sitting with Frankenstein already. Perfect. Someone else to hear their conversation too.

"Mornin', Tao," Muzaka said, waving a fork. "Still workin' at Security?"

Tao let out a hollow laugh as he sat down. "I'm getting there!"

"Ah, yes, I don't think many of us used that room much," Frankenstein said.

"Too busy trying to fix everything else up than look at what everyone else was doing," Muzaka added with a sigh.

Tao could understand that. To an extent. The base was falling apart, it was easy to see, but to not keep a look out on everyone... It was still so weird for him.

"I'm here now, so I can fix it up, heh," Tao said, starting to eat. "But would you have an R-9 screwdriver? I tried looking in storage and didn't find anything."

Muzaka frowned and then nodded slowly. "I think I've got that. If you come to the-"

"Oh, I wouldn't want to distract you!" Tao said, waving his hands, almost dropping his knife. Nope. No way was he was going to get lured into Muzaka's lair. "Just lemme know if you find it!" And...he'll work something out after that.

Muzaka nodded. "Sure."

[-]

Tao glanced over when the security door opened behind him. He froze, seeing Em walk in. Shit. Shitshit, what could he do now?

"Heeey, Em!" Tao said, whipping around to look at him, hopping to his feet. Would he be able to dash around him in - He blinked at the box Em was setting on his workbench.

Without a word, Em turned on his heel and left the room.

Huh? What had just happened?

Was the box safe? Tao tried to peer at it, but it was just...a carrier case.

Was it going to explode in his face if he opened it?

That wasn't the MO of imposters though and Em honestly didn't seem that sneaky.

So it shooould be safe?

Tao edged towards the case anyway, and poked it with a wrench. No rattle. No beeping.

He flipped the locks and ducked.

Nothing.

Taking a few deep breaths, Tao lifted the lid.

And stared at the rows of screwdriver heads, a handle underlining them. One of the heads was labelled 'R-9'.

Oh.

Oh!

He laughed, the adrenaline coursing through him making him tremble as he leaned back against the table.

Well. Okay. That worked.

Once his everything had calmed down, he could get back to work.